Burns set to quit the Pies
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Scott Burns... hanging up the boots. (Getty Images: Mark Dadswell, file photo)
Collingwood captain Scott Burns is expected to announce his retirement from the AFL at a club press conference in Melbourne this morning.
The midfielder has played 264 games over 14 seasons.
Burns may be offered an assistant coaching position at the Magpies, with Geelong and West Coast also believed to be interested in his services.
Burns made his debut for the Magpies in round 1 of the 1995 season against Carlton at the age of 20, after being plucked from Norwood in the 1992 AFL draft.
After an impressive season in 1996, Burns missed the majority of the following campaigns with injury before being named the club's vice-captain in 1999.
He was elevated to the captaincy role for 2008 following the retirement of club legend Nathan Buckley, and made 17 appearances for Collingwood in a season which ended in week two of the finals.
Burns played in losing grand finals to Brisbane in 2002 and 2003, but saved one of his best performances in the black and white stripes for round 11 this year, tallying an incredible 36 touches in the Magpies' win against Melbourne.
He kicked 149 goals and recorded more than 5,000 possesions during his glittering 14-year Collingwood career.
Burns enjoyed his best record against Adelaide, playing the Crows 18 times for 11 wins, but was most effective against the Demons with an average of 26.3 touches from 15 clashes (7-8).
His expected retirement would effectively mean his last match for the Magpies was in a losing semi-final, going down to St Kilda 17.4 (106) to 9.18 (72).
